We’re back! I took some time off from the news recently to edit our new, improved blog. We have a lot, a lot of new posts on everything from safely getting your kids into D&D to the best way to set up cinematic music for your campaign! Many seasoned writers and expert Game Masters contributed a piece, so please give it a peek!
Anyway, onto the news! This week, Wizards of the Coast released its long-promised SRD incorporating DnD 2024 rules. It also clarified how Temp HP spells and Conjure spells are supposed to work. As for business, tariffs are said to have little impact on DnD. Finally, Evil Hat announced an expanded… expansion for Blades in the Dark. Let’s dive in!
Tariffs To Have Little Effect On DnD Books, Says WotC
Much of the TTRPG industry is in chaos over the coming aftermath of the USA/China tariff war, but DnD will be okay. That confirmation comes from Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks himself during a company earnings call. As EN World reports, WotC prints DnD books using mostly USA printers so future releases should be largely unimpacted. The one product that is manufactured in China, according to Cocks in the call, are DnD boxed sets. That means a higher price point is likely for this Fall's Heroes of the Borderlands Starter Set, but nothing was confirmed on that front.
DnD SRD 5.2 Availale For Download
The new System Reference Document for Dungeons & Dragons is now available to the public on D&D Beyond. This version is released under a Creative Commons license meaning that Wizards of the Coast cannot take it back or try to change it. The 5.2 SRD brings in the 2024 ruleset, thus allowing third-party creators to legally release products for the latest version of DnD. While the document is largely the same as the previous one, it does make it a point to remove mentions of iconic named entities like Strahd and the Deck of Many Things.
DnD 2024 Errata Alters Much Discussed Conjure Spells
The first large piece of DnD 2024 rule changes, called errata, was released this past week. Errata was seen in 2014 DnD 5E and is the result of designers changing wordings or numbers to either better reflect their original intent or react to unexpected player use of the rules. In the April 16 errata, both kinds of changes were made to the 2024 Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and 2025 Monster Manual.
The biggest news out of this errata are changes to spells that grant Temporary Hit Points and Conjure spells. The Temp HP spell wordings now clarify that said Temp HP vanishes when the spell ends, addressing a growing player exploit. The Conjure spells saw either a reduction in damage dice for using higher level slots or higher upcasting requirements to get increased effects. The Conjure spells were a particular point of criticism among YouTubers and their fans.
Blades In The Dark Expansion Book Goes To BackerKit For Printing
Evil Hat is set to release Blades in the Dark: Deep Cuts in print– via a crowdfunding campaign, of course. The Deep Cuts expansion already exists digitally, but the print version on BackerKit promises even more factions, backgrounds, and technology. There will also be expanded rules for everything from downtime to progression. No word is given on pricing or printing challenges in the face of tariffs yet. You can find the BackerKit page here, and it’s set to launch in May. You can also read an interview with the designer on Rascal.
That’s all I got for this week! Thanks for reading, and may your dice be kind.
Sergio Sólorzano is the best Dungeon Master in the USA (according to a Wizards of the Coast competition, anyway). He loves minis and terrain but also goes all-in on improv!
